Roberto Martinez, in trying to explain why his Wigan team beat Arsenal but lost (albeit late in the match) to Fulham on Saturday, placed much stress on recovery time. There were four days and 17 hours between the last whistle at the Emirates and the first at Craven Cottage and that made it "a game too many'' at a stage of the season when the stakes are high for relegation-fighting clubs such as his own.

"I was worried about this match,'' he said. "It was a question
of recovering, physically and mentally, from Arsenal. Concentration
levels have to be so high in such massive games.'' If Martinez is
right – and three consecutive attempts at survival in the Premier
League equip him to know – the outlook is perturbing for their
neighbours and fellow strugglers, Bolton. A certain perspective is
supplied by the fact that Owen Coyle's side have fallen behind with
their fixtures partly because of the Fabrice Muamba emergency, but
points are always preferable to matches and Bolton have to fit in
five games; Wigan, Blackburn and QPR each have three, nicely spaced
out.

Aston Villa have four and, if they are to relieve their
anxieties, it might be at the expense of Bolton, who are at Villa
Park tomorrow night, seeking to lift spirits dampened by Saturday's
home draw to Swansea. Coyle's men must go to Sunderland next
Saturday and host Tottenham four days later, then West Bromwich
four days after that, before having the sheer luxury of seven days
to prepare for a concluding visit to Stoke.

Nor does a look back at the closing stages of last season offer
Bolton much optimism. Having given themselves a cushion of comfort
with their excellent form in the first half of the campaign, they
lost their last five matches – including one against Blackburn –
while both Rovers and Wigan finished strongly.

The problem for both of Bolton's fellow Lancastrian clubs is
that, even if Bolton join Wolves on the doomed list between now and
7 May, they must face each other in a derby that could conceivably
determine who goes down as well. Unfortunately for Martinez, it is
at Ewood Park. On the other hand – as he pointed out at Craven
Cottage – Wigan's other two matches are at home.

Even if his theory about recovery time spells trouble for
Bolton, there is plenty of physical and mental strain for the
others to overcome on their level playing field.